Segmented carbon fiber preform

Abstract

The disclosure describes in some examples a technique that includes aligning a plurality of carbon preform segments in a staggered arrangement, where each carbon preform segment of the plurality carbon preform segment includes a carbon body including at least one of a plurality of carbon fibers or a carbon foam, and a silicon-based mixture including silicon particles. The techniques may include heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body to bond the plurality of carbon preform segments together and form a ceramic matrix composite component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for forming a ceramic matrix composite component, the method comprising:
 aligning a plurality of carbon preform segments in a staggered arrangement to form at least one layer of the plurality of carbon preform segments, wherein each carbon preform segment defines a respective shape comprising a plurality of straight sides, wherein the plurality of carbon preform segments are aligned so that respective straight sides of adjacent carbon preform segments abut and form the staggered arrangement, and wherein each carbon preform segment of the plurality of carbon preform segments comprises:
 a carbon body comprising at least one of a plurality of carbon fibers or a carbon foam, and 
 a silicon-based mixture comprising silicon particles; and 
 
 heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body to bond the plurality of carbon preform segments together and form the ceramic matrix composite component. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising for each carbon preform segment of the plurality of carbon preform segments:
 forming the carbon body; and 
 coating the carbon body with the silicon-based mixture. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein forming the carbon body comprises:
 needling a plurality of fiber layers comprising carbon precursor fibers; 
 carbonizing the carbon precursor fibers to form the plurality of carbon fibers; and 
 densifying the carbon body. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein coating the carbon body with the silicon-based mixture comprises at least one of submersing the carbon body in the silicon-based mixture, spray coating the silicon-based mixture on the carbon body, or slip coating the silicon-based mixture on the carbon body. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the silicon-based mixture comprises:
 the silicon particles; 
 a carrier fluid; and 
 at least one adhesion promoter. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming a substantially oxygen free environment, wherein heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body comprises heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body in the substantially oxygen free environment. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein forming the substantially oxygen-free environment comprises forming a partial vacuum to form the substantially oxygen-free environment. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein aligning the plurality of carbon preform segments in the staggered arrangement further comprises forming a multi-tiered arrangement of the plurality of carbon preform segments. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mechanically compressing the staggered arrangement while heating of the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising machining the ceramic matrix composite component into a shape of a disk brake. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the respective shapes of the plurality of carbon preform segments are selected from the group consisting of cube, square-prism, rectangular-prism, pentagonal-prism, and hexagonal-prism. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the staggered arrangement to bond the plurality of carbon preform segments together forms a plurality of bond seams along the respective straight sides of the adjacent carbon preform segments where the respective straight sides abut, wherein the plurality of bond seams form at least one non-continuous line across the at least one layer. 
     
     
       13. A method for forming a ceramic matrix composite component, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of carbon preform segments, wherein forming a carbon preform segment comprises:
 forming a carbon body comprising at least one of a plurality of carbon fibers or a carbon foam; and 
 coating the carbon body with a silicon-based mixture comprising silicon particles, wherein coating the carbon body with the silicon-based mixture comprises at least one of submersing the carbon body in the silicon-based mixture, spray coating the silicon-based mixture on the carbon body, or slip coating the silicon-based mixture on the carbon body; 
 
 aligning the plurality of carbon preform segments in a staggered arrangement; and 
 heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body to bond the plurality of carbon preform segments together and form the ceramic matrix composite component. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the carbon body comprises:
 needling a plurality of fiber layers comprising carbon precursor fibers; 
 carbonizing the carbon precursor fibers to form the plurality of carbon fibers; and 
 densifying the carbon body. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the silicon-based mixture comprises:
 the silicon particles; 
 a carrier fluid; and 
 at least one adhesion promoter. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising forming a substantially oxygen free environment, wherein heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body comprises heating the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body in the substantially oxygen free environment. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the substantially oxygen-free environment comprises forming a partial vacuum to form the substantially oxygen-free environment. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , wherein aligning the plurality of carbon preform segments in the staggered arrangement further comprises forming a multi-tiered arrangement of the plurality of carbon preform segments. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising mechanically compressing the staggered arrangement while heating of the staggered arrangement to react the silicon particles with the carbon body. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising machining the ceramic matrix composite component into a shape of a disk brake.